The present invention relates to world wide area networking. More particularly, the invention provides a technique including a user interface device and system for using a global traffic management system coupled to a plurality of content servers for a service fee. But it would be recognized that the invention has a much broader range of applicability. For example, the invention can also be applied to other types of networks, and the like.
The Internet is a world wide xe2x80x9csuper-networkxe2x80x9d which connects together millions of individual computer networks and computers. The Internet is generally not a single entity. It is an extremely diffuse and complex system over where no single entity has complete authority or control. Although the Internet is widely know for one of its ways of presenting information through the World Wide Web (herein xe2x80x9cWebxe2x80x9d), there are many other services currently available based upon the general Internet protocols and infrastructure.
The Web is often easy to use for people inexperienced with computers. Information on the Web often is presented on xe2x80x9cpagesxe2x80x9d of graphics and text that contain xe2x80x9clinksxe2x80x9d to other pages either within the same set of data files (i.e., Web site) or within data files located on other computer networks. Users often access information on the Web using a xe2x80x9cbrowserxe2x80x9d program such as one made by Netscape Communications Corporation (now America Online, Inc.) of Mountain View, Calif. or Explorer(trademark) from Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash. Browser programs can process information from Web sites and display the information using graphics, text, sound, and animation. Accordingly, the Web has become a popular medium for advertising goods and services directly to consumers.
As time progressed, usage of the Internet has exploded. There are literally millions of users on the Internet. Usage of the Internet is increasing daily and will eventually be in the billions of users. As usage increases so does traffic on the Internet. Traffic generally refers to the transfer of information from a Web site at a server computer to a user at a client computer. The traffic generally travels through the world wide network of computers using a packetized communication protocol, such as TCP/IP. Tiny packets of information travel from the server computer through the network to the client computer. Like automobiles during xe2x80x9crush hourxe2x80x9d on Highway 101 in Silicon Valley, the tiny packets of information traveling through the Internet become congested. Here, traffic jams which cause a delay in the information from the server to the client occur during high usage hours on the Internet. These traffic jams lead to long wait times at the client location. Here, a user of the client computer may wait for a long time for a graphical object to load onto his/her computer.
From the above, it is seen that an improved way to transfer information over a network is highly desirable.
According to the present invention, a technique including a user interface device and system for global traffic management and content distribution is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the method is applied to a world wide network of computers, such as the Internet or an internet.
In a specific embodiment, the invention provides a service based system for traffic management and content distribution for a plurality of users over a world wide network of computers. The system includes a global traffic management device coupled to a world wide area network. The global traffic management device being provided to load balance across multiple origin sites. The system also has a content delivery network coupled to the global traffic management device. The content delivery network provides support content distribution and delivery of streaming media. The system also has a computing device including a computer memory coupled to the global traffic management device. The system also has an accounting module coupled to the computing device. The accounting module tracks a usage of the global traffic management device and the content delivery network for a customer of the global traffic management device and the content delivery network to determine a service fee for the usage based upon a period time frequency.
Many benefits are achieved by way of the present invention over conventional techniques. For example, the present invention can be implemented using conventional hardware and software in an easy manner in some embodiments. The invention can also be applied to conventional Web hosting sites. In other aspects, the invention provides an easy way for a Web site to using a content distribution network without spending capital costs. Depending upon the embodiment, one or more of these benefits may be achieved. These and other benefits will be described in more throughout the present specification and more particularly below.
Various additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention can be more fully appreciated with reference to the detailed description and accompanying drawings that follow.